Change will eliminate 200 million single-use plastic straws per year from nearly 1,500 stores across Japan

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Made of FSC® certified paper, the new paper straw and package are produced exclusively for Starbucks Japan

Today, Starbucks Coffee Japan, Ltd. announced that it will eliminate single-use plastic straws from nearly 1,500 stores across Japan and begin providing paper straws to customers starting in January 2020. The new paper straws are made from responsibly-sourced paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC), available in standard sizes for iced beverages and large sizes for Frappuccino®&nbsp;blended beverages.

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The new standard-sized paper straws will be available in select stores beginning in January, with a complete rollout to all stores across the Japan market by March. Large-sized straws for Frappuccino&nbsp;blended beverages will be available in all store by May. All paper straws will come in paper packaging with positive messages about sustainability.

“Since we announced our global commitment to eliminate single-use plastic straws across all stores by the end of 2020, Starbucks Japan has focused tirelessly on finding a straw alternative that meets our quality standards,” said Takafumi Minaguchi, representative director and ceo, Starbucks Japan. “We’re pleased to announce that we’ve achieved our goal. As technologies and innovations evolve, we see opportunities to continue to develop the premium Starbucks Experience our customers love in a sustainable way.”&nbsp;

Starbucks continues to explore innovative ways to reduce single-use plastics in stores throughout Japan. Since the first store opened in Ginza, Tokyo in 1996, Starbucks stores in Japan have offered a 20 yen discount for customers who bring their own cups or tumblers.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Starbucks Coffee Japan FSC® LICENSE CODE: FSC® N002500

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Paper straw packaging printed with positive messages about sustainability.

Starbucks Eliminates Plastic Straws in Japan Beginning January 2020 - Starbucks Stories

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Starbucks Eliminates Plastic Straws in Japan Beginning January 2020

Starbucks Japan will switch to paper straws starting in January.

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https://stories.starbucks.com/press/2019/starbucks-eliminates-plastic-straws-in-japan-beginning-january-2020/

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In the heart of one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations, the Starbucks Reserve™ Roastery Tokyo is a tribute to Japan’s deep cultural appreciation of craft and innovation. 

Throughout the four floors there is much to discover in this immersive coffee experience, so we’ve pulled the top 10 things to look for to pique your curiosity.

1. A river runs through it

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Located in the hip Nakameguro neighborhood known for its art, food and design, the Tokyo Roastery will become a must-see destination for visitors to Japan. The area is most famous for its bright cherry blossoms along the Meguro River, which snakes through the neighborhood, attracting more than 3 million visitors during just the two weeks while the flowers are in bloom. 

Designed in collaboration with renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, Tokyo is the first Roastery to feature light-tone woods, with materials sourced from sustainable Japanese forests. The Roastery’s design philosophy is one of connection – it brings together indoor and outdoor spaces in one seamless experience. Glass walls on two faces and all floors of the Roastery create a continued connection to the four seasons of the Meguro River. The Roastery is the most recent design collaboration between Kuma and Starbucks, after other Starbucks stores in Japan and around the globe. 

 Here you’ll find a curated collection of unique merchandise, including exclusive collaborations with some of Japan’s finest designers and artists such as a 100-year-old Japanese sweets maker, a tableware series designed by Kengo Kuma, painted Daruma lucky charms from Gunma Prefecture, and a Tokyo Roastery-branded cake set from Japan’s oldest castella bakery, established in 1624. 

 Inspired by the important role that tea plays in Japanese culture, the Roastery is home to the world’s largest Teavana tea retail experience, featuring dozens of innovative tea beverages and desserts, as well as three premium Japanese green teas sourced from local tea farms. Partners offer a whimsical tea experience that blends tradition with innovation in beverages like the Golden-Sky Black Tea Latte sweetened with honey, turmeric and milk, before being topped with turmeric cotton candy. 

5. Coffee, coffee, coffee

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6. Sparking conversation

The Roastery introduces the AMU Inspiration Lounge, a dedicated space for discussions on meaningful topics to be held over a cup of coffee. Amu, or “knit together” in Japanese, aims to bring together the change-makers and creative thinkers across Japan and the globe to spark new ideas. 

The Tokyo Roastery is a fully operational coffee roaster that will roast more than 680,000 kilograms (almost 750 tons) of coffee per year for the Japanese market, approximately 31 60-kilogram burlap bags every day, to be packaged on-site. The Japan-exclusive Tokyo Roast blend will be roasted at the Roastery and made available at all Starbucks stores in Japan.

8. Dancing cherry blossoms

This is the first Princi bakery in Japan, featuring freshly baked Italian fare including two mini panettone flavors unique to Tokyo: lemon, inspired by the flavors of Italy; and “sakura,” inspired by the flavors of Japan. Visitors to the Tokyo Roastery can take home these mini delights in a specially designed gift set to share with loved ones or enjoy at home.

10. Don’t forget to look up

In the true spirit of Japanese design, each element of the store blends form and function. A visit to the Roastery is not complete without a look at the origami ceiling tiles, with its beautiful artistic design and remarkable acoustics.

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New Tokyo Roastery: Top 10 things to know - Starbucks Stories

New Tokyo Roastery: Top 10 things to know

In the heart of one of Japan’s most popular travel destinations, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo is a tribute to Japan’s deep cultural appreciation of craft and innovation.

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Top 10 things to know about the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo

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